Big Think The science of the “self” — explained by a biologist | Michael Levin
Aug 24, 2025
Delve into the origins of the 'self' with insights from a developmental biologist. Discover how identity is not a fixed state but a dynamic collection of cellular interactions. Explore the complexities of embryonic development, challenging traditional ideas of when consciousness appears. The conversation illuminates the fluid boundaries of identity and selfhood, redefining who we are in the context of our biological beginnings.
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Self As A Dynamic, Constructed Process
- Michael Levin frames the self as a constructed, dynamic process starting at embryogenesis.
- Cells must build boundaries and align to form a coherent self rather than being a preexisting unit.
Blastoderm Scratches Produce Conjoined Embryos
- Levin recounts Lutz's experiment: scratching a duck blastoderm separates it into islands that each self-organize into embryos.
- When islands later heal, the result is conjoined embryos, showing cells independently build organismal structure.
No Sharp Boundary For Selfhood
- Levin argues there is no sharp line in development or evolution where cognition or self suddenly appears.
- Selfhood emerges continuously as cells and lineages gradually align functions and goals over time.